Origin

We get our word cap from Latin cappa ‘hood’, which may be related to Latin caput ‘head’. Cape (late 16th century), ‘a cloak’, also come from cappa, while the geographical cape (Late Middle English) goes back to caput. The same source gives us chaperone (Late Middle English) first recorded as a hood. A person providing protection or cover by accompanying another, dates from the early 18th century. The saying if the cap fits, wear it goes back to a dunce's cap, of the kind that poor performers at school had to wear as a mark of disgrace. Americans use the version if the shoe fits, wear it. See also chapel

Origin

We get our word cap from Latin cappa ‘hood’, which may be related to Latin caput ‘head’. Cape (late 16th century), ‘a cloak’, also come from cappa, while the geographical cape (Late Middle English) goes back to caput. The same source gives us chaperone (Late Middle English) first recorded as a hood. A person providing protection or cover by accompanying another, dates from the early 18th century. The saying if the cap fits, wear it goes back to a dunce's cap, of the kind that poor performers at school had to wear as a mark of disgrace. Americans use the version if the shoe fits, wear it. See also chapel